1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cameras operable in connection with video tape recorders and more particularly pertains to a matching network for operably connecting a battery powered camera to a line operated video tape recorder.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of television cameras in combination with video tape recorders is generally well-known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,522, issued Aug. 10, 1976, to Fukatsu et al, discloses a television camera and video tape recorder combination which is illustrative of the type of equipment now conventionally and commercially available on the market. In this respect, the Fukatsu et al video tape recorder and camera combination is line powered, i.e., it is operable only through the use of an alternating current supply such as is conventionally available from a plug-in wall type electric outlet. As can be appreciated, both video tape recorders and their optional television cameras are quite expensive. Additionally, there are commercially available battery-powered television cameras which are somewhat less expensive than line operated television cameras, and as can be expected, budget considerations often dictate that a purchaser must use a battery operated television camera in combination with his line operated video tape recorder.
In this respect, such a combined use of a battery powered television camera with a line operated video tape recorder frequently presents problems. For example, with line operated video tape recorders, there is often provided a single button that engages the pause or stop on one push, and then disengages the pause on a subsequent push. As such, the capstan solenoids associated with such line operated video tape recorders operate in response to an electrical signal in the form of a pulse. By the same token, most cameras which are battery powered utilize on and off triggers which must be manually and continually held in an engaged position when it is desired to operate the camera and are manually releasable when it is desired to cease operating. As such, the combination of a line operated video tape recorder and a battery powered camera requires that the video tape recorder be started through an activation of the on/off button, and the recorder then will continually run whether or not the associated television camera is being utilized. By example then, it can be seen that an operator would first have to turn on the video tape recorder and then depress the television camera on and off button to operate the same. At such time that the operator desires to cease utilizing the combinaton, he must first stop the television camera by releasing the on and off trigger and then must journey to the video tape recorder to effect a turning off of the same.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there exists a need for a matching electronic circuit which would efficiently connect a battery powered television camera to a line operated video tape recorder in a manner whereby an activation of the on and off trigger mechanism associated with the camera would simultaneously activate the respective on and off circuitry of the video tape recorder. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.